Journey to Soroako, Catching the Airplane

04Jun

Being almost late to catch a flight is not new for me, but being almost late because it’s not my own will, is a different story.

It’s been one and half year since I left Soroako, and honestly I really did not expect to come back. Today was started smooth and easy. I woke up at 4 am, got ready, did final preparation of my luggage, did Subuh, and check for the Taxi from veranda, I’ve ordered it last night and they had called me at 4 am. Usually the taxi has been waiting for me minutes before the due time, but I don’t find any sign of a taxi was waiting for me. I still have plenty of time. 10 minutes late, I called the operator, could you wait while we check it? Ooo, ok.. I started to put my luggage outside the house. 20 minutes late, a little bit worried, I called back and reminded the operator that my destination was Airport and I have a plane to catch in 1 and half hours. Another 5 minutes, the operator called back and said the other unit will pick me in 5 minutes. I started to put my luggage outside the fence, I don’t want to waste another 5 minutes to open and close the fences. But, still there is no signal of taxi around me, it’s already 5.25, my plane will fly at 6.30, and usually it took 45 minutes from Tebet to the Airport. Another called to the operator, another reminder. I decided to drag along my heavy luggage through the gangway to the main street that approximately took 7-10 minutes (and praying my hands are strong enough), on the way the operator called me and gave the taxi driver phone number, I asked the taxi driver to wait at McD Supomo.

A good sign, the Taxi made it at almost at exact time I arrived at the same place. Time showed 5.45 when we started speeding all the way to airport, another called from the taxi operator reach me and said apologize, “please hope that I wont be late”. It took less than 20 minutes with the speed off to 140km/hours, a lot of dim light, couple of horns, and impair the taxi’s rear bemper, but Thanks God its Saturday and my flight with Garuda not with an airplane at terminal 1 where the queue was long. So, I arrived at the airport at 6.05, got reminder from the gate official that I should tie my luggage first before check in (which is saved another minute), did the check in (I have prepared all the need for check in such as e-ticket that still in my email, KTP and money since I still in the Taxi), the airplane already boarded since 10 minutes ago. So, I made it by entering the airplane as a second last person.

Now, in the airplane, flight GA604, writing this story, I wondered should I just missed the plane and stay in Jakarta?